Comparisons
Breville Bambino Plus vs Barista Express vs Barista Express Impress: Which Should You Buy?
The short answer
Choose the Bambino Plus ($499.95) if you mostly drink lattes and want automatic milk; the Barista Express ($699.95) if you want a grinder built in for the lowest all-in price; and the Barista Express Impress ($799.95) if you want Breville to help with dosing and tamping.
Remember the Bambino Plus needs a separate grinder, so its real setup cost is closer to $700, about the same as a Barista Express.
How do these three Breville machines compare?
These are three of the most popular beginner espresso machines in the U.S., and they share a lot: the same 54mm portafilter size, the same 18 g dose, the same low-pressure pre-infusion followed by 9-bar extraction from a 15-bar pump, and PID temperature control. Where they differ is in heating, grinding, milk, and how much help they give you. All specs below are from Breville's U.S. product pages and manuals; prices checked November 2026.
| Bambino Plus | Barista Express | Barista Express Impress | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (Breville, Nov 2026) | $499.95 | $699.95 | $799.95 |
| Built-in grinder | No | Conical burr, 16 settings | Conical burr, 25 settings |
| Heating | ThermoJet (about 3-second heat-up) | Thermocoil, 200°F | Thermocoil, 200°F |
| PID | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Milk | Automatic (3 temps, 3 textures) or manual | Manual wand | Manual wand |
| Dosing and tamping | Manual (tamper + Razor tool) | Grind-to-portafilter, integrated tamper, Razor tool, dosing funnel | Intelligent dosing, assisted 22 lb tamp with 7° twist |
| Portafilter | 54mm stainless | 54mm stainless | 54mm stainless |
| Size (W x D x H) | 11.9 x 7.4 x 14.3 in | 15.9 x 13.1 x 12.4 in | 16.6 x 14.4 x 12.2 in |
| Realistic setup cost | ~$700 with a $200 grinder | $699.95 + scale | $799.95 + scale |
What's the real difference in daily use?
Morning speed
The Bambino Plus uses Breville's ThermoJet heater, which Breville says reaches extraction temperature in about 3 seconds and switches to steam quickly. The Barista Express and Impress use the older Thermocoil system. It still heats far faster than a traditional boiler, but you'll typically wait longer to brew and longer for steam to be ready after a shot. If you're making one latte before work, the Bambino Plus feels quicker.
Grinding
This is the big one. The Express and Impress grind straight into the portafilter. That's convenient and saves counter space. But it means your grinder and machine live and die together: if you later want a better grinder, you either buy one and ignore the built-in, or replace the whole machine.
The Express has 16 grind settings; the Impress has 25. More steps mean finer control when dialing in, which matters most with light roasts. Breville also lets you move the inner burr to shift the range finer on both machines; check your manual for the procedure.
The Bambino Plus has no grinder, which is a feature if you want to pick your own. With a Baratza Encore ESP ($199.95) your total is about $700, roughly the price of a Barista Express, but with a grinder you can keep when you upgrade the machine. Read do you really need a separate grinder? for the full argument.
Milk
The Bambino Plus's automatic steam wand is the easiest way we know of for a beginner to get consistent microfoam. You put the jug on the tray, choose a temperature (warm, ideal, or hot per the manual) and a foam level (low, medium, high), and it stops itself and purges afterward. The Express and Impress have manual wands, which give you more control once you learn, but there's a real learning curve.
Dosing and tamping
Getting the same amount of coffee in the basket every time, and tamping it level, are two of the hardest habits for beginners. The Barista Express gives you a grinder with dose control and a Razor trimming tool. The Impress goes further: you pull a lever to tamp at a constant 22 lb, and it tells you if the dose was too much or too little, then adjusts the next one. If you've read about espresso and thought "I'm going to mess up the tamping," the Impress is designed for you.
Who should buy the Bambino Plus?
Breville Bambino Plus
$499.95
- You mostly drink lattes, flat whites, or cappuccinos.
- You want the fastest heat-up and a small footprint.
- You're happy to buy (or already own) a separate grinder.
- You want to upgrade the grinder later without replacing the machine.
Skip it if you want the cheapest one-box setup, or if you have no space for a grinder next to the machine.
Who should buy the Barista Express?
Breville Barista Express
$699.95 (promotions as low as $499.95 in Nov 2026)
- You want everything in one box at the lowest total price.
- You drink medium or dark roasts most of the time.
- You're comfortable learning to tamp and steam manually.
- You want a widely owned machine with lots of tutorials and spare parts.
Skip it if you want automatic milk or plan to experiment with very light roasts.
Who should buy the Barista Express Impress?
Breville Barista Express Impress
$799.95
- You want an all-in-one machine that helps with dosing and tamping.
- You'd like finer grind adjustment (25 steps vs 16).
- You want less mess on the counter (Breville says the Impress system reduces grounds on the machine and counter).
Skip it if you're confident with a scale and tamper. The regular Express brews the same way for $100 less.
What's the total cost of each setup?
| Item | Bambino Plus setup | Barista Express setup | Impress setup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Machine | $499.95 | $699.95 | $799.95 |
| Grinder | $199.95 (Encore ESP) | Built in | Built in |
| 0.1 g scale | $59.00 | $59.00 | $59.00 |
| Total (list) | $758.90 | $758.95 | $858.95 |
At list price, the Bambino Plus with a separate grinder and the Barista Express land within a nickel of each other. That makes the choice less about money and more about what you value: automatic milk and an upgradeable grinder, or one appliance on the counter.
Can you save money on any of these?
- Watch for promotions. Breville's machines are frequently discounted around Black Friday and the holidays. The Barista Express was reported at $499.95 in early November 2026.
- Check Breville's remanufactured store. We saw a remanufactured Barista Express at $468.95 in November 2026.
- Price-match. Authorized retailers like Seattle Coffee Gear and Whole Latte Love usually match Breville's price and sometimes add bundles or extended warranties.
What about warranty, cleaning and long-term ownership?
Retail listings we checked show a 2-year limited warranty on the Bambino Plus and the Barista Express Impress; confirm the current term on Breville's site for whichever model you buy, and note that Breville offers paid extended coverage at checkout. All three are widely sold, so replacement parts like gaskets, baskets and water filters are easy to find.
Daily cleaning is similar: rinse the portafilter and baskets, purge and wipe the steam wand after every milk drink, and empty the drip tray. The two machines with built-in grinders add one job: brushing out the grinder chute and burrs from time to time. All three use a cleaning disc and tablets for periodic cleaning cycles and need descaling based on your water hardness. The Bambino Plus's automatic wand purges itself after steaming, which is one less step for latte drinkers.
What about the Breville Barista Pro?
The Barista Pro ($849.95) is the next step up: a built-in grinder like the Express, but with ThermoJet heating and a digital display. It fixes the Express's slower heat-up at a higher price. If you're considering it, you're also in range of a Bambino Plus with a better grinder like the Baratza Encore ESP Pro ($299.95). See our grinder guide to compare.
Our recommendation
For most first-time buyers who drink milk drinks, the Bambino Plus with an Encore ESP is the most flexible and easiest to learn. For a single appliance at the lowest price, the Barista Express is still hard to beat, especially on sale. Choose the Impress if the idea of tamping and dosing by hand puts you off. Any of the three can make excellent coffee with fresh beans and a little patience. When your first shots taste off, our sour vs. bitter troubleshooting guide will get you back on track.
Still weighing other brands? See our full list of the best espresso machines for beginners.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between the Bambino Plus and the Barista Express?
The Bambino Plus has no grinder but heats up in about 3 seconds and steams milk automatically. The Barista Express has a built-in conical burr grinder with 16 settings, a manual steam wand, and a slower Thermocoil heater. You need to buy a grinder separately with the Bambino Plus.
Is the Barista Express Impress worth the extra $100 over the Barista Express?
If tamping and messy dosing worry you, probably yes. The Impress adds 25 grind settings (vs 16), a lever-assisted tamp at a constant 22 lb, and dosing that auto-corrects based on the last shot. If you're comfortable weighing and tamping, the regular Barista Express gives you the same core brewing for less.
Which Breville is best for lattes?
The Bambino Plus, because its steam wand textures milk automatically to your chosen temperature and foam level. The Express and Impress have manual wands, which take practice but give more control.
Can the Barista Express grind fine enough for espresso?
For most medium and dark roasts, yes. Very light roasts can need finer adjustment than the 16-step grinder offers. Breville lets you change the inner burr position for a finer range, and the Impress has more steps (25).
Which of the three takes the least counter space?
The Bambino Plus, at 11.9 x 7.4 x 14.3 inches (W x D x H) per Breville. The Barista Express is 15.9 x 13.1 x 12.4 in and the Impress is 16.6 x 14.4 x 12.2 in, though remember the Bambino Plus needs a grinder beside it.
How this guide was researched
This is a research-based buyer's guide. Specs and prices come from manufacturer and retailer product pages, checked in November 2026; prices change often, especially around holiday sales, so confirm the current price before you buy. We don't accept free products in exchange for coverage, and recommendations aren't based on commission rates. When we add hands-on notes from our own use, we'll label them clearly. See our about page and affiliate disclosure.